Glenisk scoops Best Organic Retail Product 2009
Minister of State Trevor Sargent announced the winners of Bord Bia'a National Organic Awards this week, naming Offaly-based Glenisk as top organic in store
Print5 September 2009
Glenisk’s Organic Greek Style Natural Yoghurt has been named Best Organic Retail Product at the National Organic Awards 2009.
The Co Offaly company that launched the yogurt at the end of 2008 said it was "delighted" with this win for its creamiest yoghurt yet.
Vincent Cleary, managing director of Glenisk, commented: “We are very proud to receive the National Organic Award for our Greek Style Yogurt. This latest success reinforces what we are seeing in the market, that Irish customers want innovative, local, organic products that taste delicious and offer value for money.”
This year the Bord Bia awards, currently in their third year, attracted over 140 entries from organic companies nationwide.
The organic sector has also managed to defy a recent UK report which claimed organic produce delivered "no significant nutritional advantage" over conventionally produced foods. Speaking at the event, Minister of State Trevor Sargent outlined how organic sales were continuing to grow despite the current economic climate.
"Sales of Organic food are continuing to grow, increasing year on year by 13.2%, reaching a value of €124 million in the year to July 2009. From these encouraging retail figures, it is clear that even in these hard times a considerable number of Irish consumers are buying organic products."
However, he added people were now also not just looking for organic, but top quality organic.
Fortunately, an experienced independent panel of judges were on hand to reward such top quality offerings. The judging team was chaired by Hugo Arnold, journalist and food consultant, and included Cian Doorley, Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland; Evan Doyle, owner of Brooklodge Wells and Spa; Darren Grant, owner of The Organic Supermarket Blackrock, Co Dublin, and Oliver Moore, journalist, researcher and organic blogger.
The Overall National Organic Award 2009 was scooped by Kelly’s Organics, Mullingar for its new Moon Shine Milk product, a bottled non-homogenised farmhouse milk.
The judges were unanimous in their praise for the taste and quality of the milk, citing it as "how milk used to taste". Moon Shine Milk, currently available in farm shops and farmers markets in Co Westmeath and the Organic Supermarket in Blackrock, Co Dublin, also won the Best Local Organic Product award.
The awards which took place on Monday, marked the first day of National Organic Week, which runs from 14 – 20 September. A full listing of the week’s events can be viewed at www.bordbia.ie.
National Organic Awards 2009: Winners and highly commended:
Best Overall Product
Winner: Moon Shine Farmhouse Milk Company, Kelly’s Organics, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath
Best Organic Retail Product
Winner: Organic Greek Style Natural Yoghurt, Glenisk, Killeigh, Co. Offaly
Highly Commended: Irish Smoked Organic Salmon, Ummera Smoked Products Ltd, Timoleague, Co. Cork
Best Organic Local Product
Winner: Moon Shine Farmhouse Milk, Kelly’s Organics, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath
Highly Commended: Dark Choc Almond Cake, Organic Choice, Stillorgan, Co. Dublin
Best Organic Export Product
Winner: St Tola Goats Log Company, Inagh Farmhouse Cheese, Co. Clare
Highly Commended: Flahavans Organic Jumbo Oats 1kg, Flahavans, Co. Waterford
Best Organic New Product
Winner: Organic Gluten Free Real Wholegrain Bread Mix , Sowan’s Organic Bread mix, Dublin
Highly Commended: Original Steakhouse Company, Goodherdsmen, Cahir, Co. Tipperary
Best Organic Sustainable Product
Winner: Happy Heart Oil Rapeseed Oil, Drumeen Farm, Urlingford, Co. Kilkenny
Highly Commended: Organic Galloway Steakburger, Omega Beef Direct, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
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